Pack of rigid type for tobacco products

ABSTRACT

A pack for tobacco products consists in at least one rigid packet ( 2 ) appearing as a container ( 3 ) presenting a bottom end face ( 4 ), surmounted by a hinged lid ( 5 ) presenting a top end face ( 6 ) and rotatable between a position in which the packet is open, and a position of interaction with an inner frame ( 9 ) anchored to the container ( 3 ), in which the packet is closed. The packet ( 2 ) presents at least two main faces of which a first face ( 14 ) appears flat and a second face ( 15 ) is composed of a substantially central flat portion ( 16 ) and two curved portions ( 17 ) by which the flat portion ( 16 ) is connected to the longitudinal edges ( 18 ) of the flat first face ( 14 ), so that when viewed in cross section the packet ( 2 ) presents a substantially semicircular shape, or that of a rounded isosceles trapezoid.

This application is the National Phase of International ApplicationPCT/IB02/00244 filed Jan. 25, 2002 which designated the U.S. and thatInternational Application was published under PCT Article 21(2) inEnglish.

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a pack of rigid type for tobaccoproducts.

In the following specification, the term pack can be taken genericallyto mean both a pack comprising at least two packets of cigarettes orserving to contain a plurality of packets of cigarettes, and a singlepacket containing a group of cigarettes or tobacco products in general.

Generally speaking, conventional packets of the rigid type fashionedwith a hinged lid and serving to contain groups of cigarettes willappear usually as a rectangular parallelepiped of substantiallyrectangular section. In particular, such packets present a bottom endface and a top end face, both flat, and distinct side faces consistingin a flat front face and a flat rear face disposed parallel one withanother, and two flat flank faces disposed parallel one with another andat right angles to the front and rear faces.

The packets in question are somewhat awkward to handle and to keep inthe pocket of a garment and typically present sharp corner edges,compassing angles of approximately 90°, by which the pocket is forcedout of shape and subjected to wear.

2. Background Art

The prior art embraces hinge lid packets of which the corner edgesbordering the front and rear faces are rounded or bevelled, a solutionthat serves to mitigate the drawbacks described above but cannoteliminate them altogether. For example, if a packet is inserted into thepocket of a garment with the rear face directed toward the body of thesmoker, the corner edges of the front face, be they sharp or bevelled orrounded, will tend just the same to project forward, forcing the pocketout of shape and subjecting it to wear. This is due to the fact that theflank faces of the packet project forward at right angles to the rearface of the packet.

Even were the angle formed between the planes occupied by the front faceand the flank face to be relieved, the relative corner edge would stillbe somewhat pronounced since, considering the average dimensionspresented by a packet of cigarettes, it would form no more than arelatively slender fillet interconnecting two flat faces. Furthermore,the capacity of the packet in this instance would be reducedsignificantly.

In like manner, given the average dimensions of a packet of cigarettes,the fillet defining a rounded corner edge is typified generally by arelatively small radius of curvature. This makes it necessary to weakenthe part of the diecut blank along which the corner edge is formed, byincluding a plurality of strongly impressed crease lines. When appliedin particular to the front corner edges of the packet, these lines arevisually unattractive.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a pack that will befree of the drawbacks mentioned above.

The stated object is realized in a pack of rigid type for tobaccoproducts according to the present invention comprising at least onerigid packet with a hinged lid, composed of a container presenting abottom end face and a lid presenting a top end face of which the lid ishinged to the container and able thus to rotate between a position inwhich the packet is open, and a position of interaction with a frameinserted partly inside the container, in which the packet is closed,characterized in that the packet presents at least two main faces ofwhich a first is flat and a second is composed of a substantiallycentral flat portion and two curved portions by which the flat portionis connected to the longitudinal edges of the flat first face.

The invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, withthe aid of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 to 5 show four embodiments of a pack according to the presentinvention, consisting in a single packet, illustrated schematically andin perspective;

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 show two embodiments of a pack according to the presentinvention, consisting in two packets, illustrated schematically and inperspective;

FIG. 9 shows a pack according to the present invention, consisting in aplurality of packets;

FIGS. 10 to 14 are plan views of diecut blanks used to fashion thepackets of FIGS. 1 to 5;

FIGS. 15 to 17 are plan views of diecut blanks used to fashion framesfor the packets illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3.

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 9 of the drawings, 1 denotes a pack ofrigid type, in its entirety, and in particular, 2 denotes a rigid packetwith a hinged lid serving to contain a group of cigarettes (notindicated) enveloped typically in a respective inner wrapper (likewisenot indicated) fashioned from a suitable wrapping material andaccommodated inside the packet 2. The single packet 2 comprises acontainer 3 of which the bottom coincides with the bottom end face 4 ofthe packet 2, and a lid 5 of which the top coincides with the top endface 6 of the packet 2. The lid 5 is joined hingedly to the container 3along a line denoted 7 and rotatable thus between an open position (notillustrated), and a closed position in which the lid 5 conceals a topopen end 8 of the container 3 and is retained in this same position by aframe 9 located partly inside the container 3 and projecting beyond oneedge 10 of the open end 8. In the closed position, this edge 10 isengaged substantially in contact by a free edge 11 of the lid 5. Thesingle packet 2 appears as a prism of which the two bases, lyingtransverse to an axis 12 coinciding with the axis of the packet 2, areprovided respectively by the bottom end face 4 and the top end face 6,and the lateral surface 13 is composed of two main faces identifiablerespectively as a flat first face 14 and a second face 15 consisting ina substantially central and flat portion 16 parallel to the first face14, and two curved portions 17 by which the flat portion 16 is connectedto the first face 14 along the longitudinal edges 18 of the selfsameface 14 extending parallel to the aforementioned axis 12.

As discernible from the foregoing and from the position of the hingeline 7, which will be seen to extend transversely across the flat firstface 14, the container 3 presents a rear face 19 coinciding with thefirst face 14 of the prism, and a front face 20 afforded by the flatcentral portion 16 and the curved portions 17 making up the second face15 of the prism. In like manner the hinged lid 5, when closed, presentsa rear face 21 coinciding with the first face 14 of the prism, and afront face 22 afforded by the flat central portion 16 and the curvedportions 17 making up the second face 15 of the prism.

More exactly, the rear face 19 of the container 3 and the rear face 21of the lid 5 combine to make up the back 23 of the packet 2 coincidingwith the flat first face 14, whilst the front face 20 of the container 3and the front face 22 of the lid 5 make up the front 24 of the packet 2coinciding with the second main face 15.

Observing the examples of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the relative packet 2appears with the aforementioned longitudinal edges 18 of the first face14, along which the curved lateral portions 17 are joined, embodied assharp corner edges 25, whereas in the example of FIG. 4 the relativepacket 2 appears with the selfsame edges 18 embodied as rounded corneredges 26 creating two rounded longitudinal bands 27, and in the exampleof FIG. 5, the two edges 18 are embodied as bevelled corner edges 28creating two flat faces 29.

In the example of FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, the pack 1 consists in a pair ofpackets 2 connected one to another along one common edge 18 thatfunctions as a vertical hinge 30 lying parallel to the axis 12 of eachpacket 2 and allows the two packets 2 to open out, as illustrated inFIG. 7, or to close up as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 8 bringing therespective main flat faces 14 into mutual contact.

The vertical hinge 30 can be incorporated as a perforation line thatwill allow of separating the two packets 2, and in particular separatinga part of the hinge 30 that connects the two lids 5, thus enabling eachlid 5 to rotate independently about the relative hinge 7 by way of whichit is associated with the container 3.

With this in mind, it will be observed that the hinge line 7 in theexample of FIG. 8 extends across the flat central portion 16 of thesecond main face 15 of each individual packet 2, which in thisparticular instance has the back 23 on the side opposite to that of thepackets illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 7, coinciding with the second face 15rather than with the first face 14.

As discernible from the illustration of FIG. 9, the pack 1 mightcomprise a plurality of packets 2 (four in the example shown) stacked inpairs along a common axis 31 and arranged with the two top end faces ofone pair of packets 2 offered in contact to the two bottom end faces ofthe packets 2 next in sequence along the axis 31. In this instance thepack 1 will further comprise a single sheet 32 of wrapping material bywhich the pairs of packets 2 are enveloped and enclosed.

With reference to FIGS. 10 . . . 14, each packet 2 is fashioned from aflat diecut blank 33 of wrapping material, for example cardboard or thelike, which will present a substantially elongated rectangular outline,referable to a longitudinal axis 34 lying parallel to the axis 12 of thesingle packet. The blank 33 presents a plurality of panels aligned onthe aforementioned axis 34: a central panel 35, two intermediate panels36 and 37 and two end panels, one of which denoted 38 associated withthe central panel 35 by way of the one intermediate panel 36, the otherdenoted 39 associated with the central panel 35 by way of the otherintermediate panel 37.

The sides of the two intermediate panels 36 and 37 directed toward therespective end panels 38 and 39 present a substantially arcuate profile;more exactly, the first intermediate panel 36 is joined to the relativeend panel 38 by way of a respective first rectilinear crease line 40transverse to the longitudinal axis 34, and the second intermediatepanel 37 is joined similarly to the relative end panel 39 by way of arespective first rectilinear crease line 41 parallel to the line 40mentioned previously.

Similarly, the intermediate panels 36 and 37 are joined to the centralpanel 35 by way of respective second rectilinear crease lines 42 and 43disposed transversely to the longitudinal axis 34, parallel with thefirst crease lines 40 and 41. The second crease line 42 and 43 and therelative first crease line 40 and 41 of each intermediate panel 36 and37 are interconnected by two segments 44 describing the aforementionedarcuate profile.

The end panels 38 and 39 present respective pairs of longitudinal creaselines 45 extending parallel to the longitudinal axis 34, one on eitherside. The crease lines 45 in question are separated by a distancesubstantially equal to the length of the aforementioned firstrectilinear crease lines 40 and 41 and serve accordingly to define arespective longitudinal central area 46 on each end panel 38 and 39, ofwidth identical to the length of the first crease lines 40 and 41, andtwo longitudinal lateral portions 47 extending parallel to the centralarea 46, which, following the erection of the packet 2, will be matchedto the aforementioned segments 44 of the intermediate panels 36 and 37and held in position relative to these same panels by means of retainingflaps denoted 48.

In particular, the two central areas 46 combine to establish the flatcentral portion 16 presented by the second face 15 of the packet 2,whilst the two longitudinal lateral portions 47 combine to create thetwo curved portions 17 interconnecting the flat portion 16 and thelongitudinal edges 18 of the flat first face 14, which in turn coincideswith the central panel 35 of the blank.

With this in mind, it will be noted that the end panels 38 and 39 areembodied with respective free edges 49 and 50 of substantially arcuateprofile, and that in the erected packet 2 these same edges will coincidewith the aforementioned free edge 11 of the lid 5 and the free edge 10of the top open end 8 afforded by the container 3.

The central panel 35 further presents a crease line 51 extendingtransversely to the longitudinal axis 34 and coinciding with the hingeline 7, and is flanked longitudinally by lateral connecting panels 52joined to the selfsame central panel 35 by way of relative longitudinalprecreased areas 53 extending parallel to the longitudinal axis 34 anddivided into two parts by respective notches 54 converging on the endsof the crease line 51.

In the examples of FIGS. 10, 13 and 14, the retaining flaps 48 consistin respective enclosing flaps 55 afforded by the opposite longitudinalends of the lateral panels 52 and positioned to engage the respectiveintermediate panels 36 and 37.

In the example of FIGS. 11 and 12 the retaining flaps 48 consist inradial flaps 56 afforded by the arcuate segments 44 of the intermediatepanels 36 and 37 and positioned to engage the corresponding lateralportions 47 of each end panel 38 and 39.

More exactly, the intermediate panels 36 and 37 are destinedrespectively to establish the top end face 6 and the bottom end face 4of an erected packet 2 that can present a section identifiablesubstantially as semicircular, or, as a rounded isosceles trapezoid ofwhich the greater base is defined by the intersection of a sectionalplane with the flat first face 14, coinciding with the second creaselines 42 and 43 in the case of the end faces, and the smaller base isdefined by the intersection of a sectional plane with the flat portion16 of the second face 15, coinciding with the first crease lines 40 and41 in the case of the end faces.

Observing a packet 2 that appears substantially semicircular in section,the aforementioned curved portions 17 and arcuate segments 44 willdescribe an arc to a circle.

In the examples of FIGS. 11 and 12, unlike the examples of FIGS. 10, 13and 14, the longitudinal lateral portions 47 of the end panels 38 and 39and the lateral connecting panels 52 associated with the central panel35 are rendered pliable, visibly, so as to bend readily when the packet2 is erected and adapt to the profile of the arcuate segments 44presented by the intermediate panels 36 and 37.

In the example of FIG. 12, the longitudinal lateral portions 47 and theconnecting panels 52 are rendered pliable by an embossing operationdenoted G.

In the example of FIG. 11, the longitudinal lateral portions 47 and theconnecting panels 52 are rendered pliable by the impression, denoted P,of a plurality of crease lines 57.

It will be noted that the separation between the lateral portions 47 andthe central area 46 is not represented by a distinct line of demarcationand that the selfsame lateral portions 47 and central area 46 are joinedwith no break in continuity, so that the flat central portion 16 and thetwo curved lateral portions 17 of the second main face 15, whichcoincides with the front 24 of the packet 2, will merge without anyprominent sharp corner edges being generated.

In the same manner as described for the blanks 33 relative to the packet2, the blanks 58 from which to fashion the frames 9 illustrated in FIGS.15, 16 and 17 present a longitudinal central area 59 that will beoffered to the central areas 46 of the end panels 38 and 39, and twolongitudinal lateral bands 60 that will be offered to the longitudinallateral portions 47 of the selfsame panels 38 and 39. In particular,with reference to the example of FIG. 16, the lateral longitudinal bands60 are rendered pliable by an embossing operation similar to thatperformed on the corresponding portions 47 of the packet blank 33 ofFIG. 12, and denoted G likewise in the case of the frame 9. In theexample of FIG. 17, the longitudinal lateral bands 60 are renderedpliable by the impression P of a plurality of crease lines 61 similar tothose presented by the portions 47 of the packet blank 33 illustrated inFIG. 11.

Likewise in the case of the blanks 58 from which the frames 9 arefashioned, the separation between the lateral bands 60 and the centralarea 59 is not represented by a distinct line of demarcation, the bandsand the central area merging with no break in continuity in such a wayas to breast neatly with the inside face of the packet 2.

Finally, it will be seen that in the case of the blanks 33 illustratedin FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 and the corresponding packets 2 of FIGS. 1, 2 and3, the precreased areas 53 consist in single crease lines 62 that willgenerate sharp corner edges when the packet is erected.

In the case of the blank 33 shown in FIG. 13 and the correspondingpacket 2 of FIG. 5, each precreased area 53 consists in a pair ofmutually parallel crease lines 63 separated one from another by apredetermined distance, such as will generate the aforementioned flatface 29 of a bevelled corner edge 28 when the packet is erected.

In the case of the blank 33 shown in FIG. 14 and the correspondingpacket 2 of FIG. 4, each precreased area 53 consists in a plurality ofmutually parallel crease lines 64, such as will generate theaforementioned rounded face 27 of a rounded corner edge 26 when thepacket is erected.

1. A pack of rigid type for tobacco products, comprising at least one rigid packet with a hinged lid, composed of a container presenting a bottom end face and a lid presenting a top end face, the lid being hinged to the container and able thus to rotate between a position in which the packet is open, and a position of interaction with a frame inserted partly inside the container, in which the packet is closed, the packet presents two main faces of which a first back face is flat and a second front face is composed of a substantially central flat portion and two curved portions, lying on the same arc of a circle, by which the flat portion is directly connected to the longitudinal edges of the flat first face and in which the second front face is completely visible in a planar view.
 2. A pack as in claim 1, wherein the packet appears in cross section as a rounded isosceles trapezoid of which the greater base is defined by the flat first face and the smaller base is defined by the flat portion of the second face.
 3. A pack as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the longitudinal edges of the flat first face appears as a sharp corner edge.
 4. A pack as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the longitudinal edges of the flat first face appears as a bevelled corner edge.
 5. A pack as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the longitudinal edges of the flat first face appears as a rounded corner edge.
 6. A pack as in claim 1, wherein the lid is joined hingedly to the container along a hinge line extending transversely across the first main face.
 7. A pack as in claim 1, wherein the lid is joined hingedly to the container along a hinge line extending transversely across the flat central portion of the second main face.
 8. A pack as in claim 1, comprising a pair of packets joined one to another along one of the two longitudinal edges of the first main face.
 9. A pack as in claim 1, comprising a plurality of pairs of packets stacked along a common axis, arranged with the bottom end faces and the top end faces in mutual contact and enveloped in a single sheet of wrapping material.
 10. A pack as in claim 1, wherein the single packet is fashioned from a diecut blank presenting a substantially elongated rectangular outline, referable to a longitudinal axis lying parallel to the longitudinal axis of the relative pack and presenting, aligned on the axis, a central panel, two intermediate panels and two end panels, of which the intermediate panels appear each with the side directed toward the respective end panel presenting a substantially arcuate profile and are joined each to the respective end panel by way of a relative rectilinear crease line disposed transversely to the longitudinal axis.
 11. A pack as in claim 10, wherein each intermediate panel is joined to the central panel by way of a respective second rectilinear crease line disposed transversely to the longitudinal axis and connected to the corresponding first crease line by two segments describing an arc to a circle that defines the arcuate profile.
 12. A pack as in claim 10, wherein the end panels present two respective longitudinal crease lines extending parallel to the longitudinal axis, one on either side, combining to delimit an internal area coinciding with the flat central portion presented by the second main face of the packet, and external areas appearing as two longitudinal lateral portions coinciding with the curved portions interconnecting the flat portion and the longitudinal edges of the flat first main face generated by the central panel.
 13. A pack as in claim 12, wherein the free transverse edges of the end panels present a substantially arcuate profile.
 14. A pack as in claim 10, wherein the central panel presents a crease line extending transversely to the longitudinal axis and serving to establish the hinge line, and is flanked laterally by two longitudinally disposed connecting panels joined to the selfsame central panel along respective longitudinal precreased areas and divided into two parts by respective notches converging on the ends of the hinge crease line.
 15. A pack as in claim 14, wherein each lateral connecting panel presents retaining flaps at the opposite ends, positioned to engage the respective intermediate panels.
 16. A pack as in claim 10, wherein each of the arcuate segments afforded by the intermediate panels is furnished with at least one radial flap positioned to engage the corresponding lateral portion of the relative end panel.
 17. A pack as in claim 10, wherein the lateral portions of each end panel and the connecting panels associated laterally with the central panel are rendered pliable and adaptable thus to the curvature of the arcuate profile.
 18. A pack as in claim 17, wherein the pliability enabling adaptability to the arcuate curvature is obtained by an embossing operation.
 19. A pack as in claim 17, wherein the pliability enabling adaptability to the arcuate curvature is obtained by the impression of a plurality of longitudinal crease lines.
 20. A pack as in claim 14, wherein the longitudinal precreased areas consist in at least one crease line.
 21. A pack as in claim 14, wherein the longitudinal precreased areas consist in at least two mutually parallel crease lines separated by a first predetermined distance.
 22. A pack as in claim 14, wherein the longitudinal precreased areas consist in a plurality of mutually parallel crease lines separated by a second predetermined distance.
 23. A pack as in claim 10, wherein the frame is fashioned from a respective flat diecut blank presenting a central area offered to the central area of the end panels, and two respective lateral bands offered to the longitudinal lateral portions of the selfsame panels.
 24. A pack as in claim 23, wherein the lateral bands em rendered pliable and adaptable thus to the curvature presented by the arcuate segments of the intermediate panels of the packet blank.
 25. A pack as in claim 23, wherein the pliability enabling to the arcuate curvature is obtained by an embossing operation.
 26. A pack as in claim 23, wherein the pliability enabling adaptability to the arcuate curvature is obtained by impressing a plurality of longitudinal crease lines. 